“Jesus is the vine, we are its branches. God, the merciful and good Father, like a patient husbandman, works carefully so that our lives are full of fruit. Therefore, Jesus calls us to keep the immeasurable gift, namely the connection with Him, on which our life and our fruitfulness depend,” said the Pope at the Holy Mass he celebrated on Sunday, April 28, in St. Mark’s Square in Venice, during his visit to the city on the water.
Inese Steinert – Vatican
Looking at the parable of the vine in the Gospel of John, the Pope noted that it expresses God’s loving concern for us, but at the same time it also warns that if we break this connection with God, we will not be able to bear the fruits of a good life and we ourselves risk becoming dead branches. Based on the parable of the Gospel, the Pope turned to Venice and the surrounding islands of the lagoon, where vines have been cultivated and wine made for many centuries, including in monastery gardens. “Faith in Jesus, connection with Him, does not limit our freedom, on the contrary, it makes us ready to accept the juice of God’s love, which increases our joy, takes care of us with the care of a good vinedresser and causes sprouts to sprout even when the garden of our life becomes dry. Indeed, our hearts become dry many times,” said the Pope.
Francis noted that the parable, which came from the heart of Jesus, can also be read when thinking of Venice, a city built on water and, thanks to its uniqueness, recognized as one of the most evocative places in the world. Venice and the waters are all alone and without concern for the preservation of this natural scenario, it could cease to exist. “Likewise our lives,” the Pope continued, “we too, always immersed in the fountains of God’s love, are renewed in Baptism, reborn to a new life from water and the Holy Spirit, and included in Christ as branches of the vine. The juice of this love flows in us, without which we become dry trees that do not bear fruit.” Francis recalled that Blessed John Paul I, when he was the Patriarch of Venice, once said that Jesus “came to bring eternal life to people… this life is in Him and passes from Him to the disciples, just like the juice that rises from the trunk of the vine to the branches. It is the fresh water that He gives, it is the ever-flowing spring”.
“Brothers and sisters,” said Pope Francis, addressing the people of Venice, “this is what is needed: to remain in the Lord, to dwell in Him.” The Holy Father explained that the verb “to remain” cannot be interpreted as something static, in fact, it calls us to start moving, because “to remain in the Lord” means to grow – to grow in relationship with Him, to talk with Him, to receive His Word, to follow Him through the way of the kingdom of God. Therefore, it means to go after Him, to allow ourselves to be challenged by His Gospel and to become witnesses of His love.
That is why Jesus says that whoever abides in Him bears fruit. “These are not just any fruits,” the Pope explained. “The fruit borne by the branches, in which the juice flows, are grapes, and from the grapes wine is obtained, which is a noble messianic sign. Indeed, Jesus, the Messiah sent by the Father, brings the wine of God’s love into the human heart and fills it with joy, fills it with hope.”
The Pope pointed out that this is the fruit we are called to bear in our lives, in our relationships, in the places we stay every day, in our society, in our work. “If we look at the city of Venice today, admire its wonderful beauty, it does not mean that we are not worried about its many problems, about threats, including climate change, which affects the waters of the lagoon; for the fragility of buildings, for the benefit of culture as well as people; about the difficulties of creating an appropriate environment for people through reasonable tourism management,” said the Pope.
How do we, Christians, who are the branches united with the vine, respond to this? Francis claimed that by remaining united with Christ, we can bear the fruits of the Gospel in the reality in which we live. These fruits are justice and peace, solidarity and concern for one another, choices in favor of the environment and the preservation of human heritage. “Let’s not forget our human heritage – our humanity, which God accepted to walk with us,” the Pope called. He said there is a need for our Christian communities, neighborhoods, cities to become welcoming, welcoming and inclusive places. Venice, which has always been a place of meeting and cultural exchange, is called to be a sign of beauty accessible to all, from the last, a sign of fraternity and a sign of care for our common house. “Venice, the land that makes people brothers, thank you,” the Pope thanked at the end of his homily.
